Teachers 2015

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Teachers 2015

The teachers and choreographers of DFTD are hand-picked each year to maintain the highest quality workshop and deliver a captivating dance experience. DFTD 2015 is no exception with an amazing staff of teachers: Gary Beauford, Stephan Isijia Reynolds, Benedicte Schoyen and Edwin Mota.

Gary Beauford

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Gary Beauford

Originally a self-taught freestyle dancer for 15 yrs, Detroit native Gary Beauford lived in the Washington, D.C. area, where he was a company captain, dancer, & choreographer for the award-winning Culture Shock D.C. dance troupe for 5 ½ years. Gary has headlined several dance workshops & conventions; He is also the Founder of TEAMWeGonMakeIt a professional dance company based in the DMV (DC, MD, VA) area. His extensive performance background includes the likes of Capitol recording artist Jaicko, Byron Cage, Washington D.C.’s, Mya Harrison, & Rihanna.

He has trained with Lyle Beniga, Luam, Tony Czar, Laura Edwards, JoJo Diggs, Nick Demoura, & many other accomplished choreographers & dancers. In Oct 2007 Gary spent 11 days touring Shuzo, China performing with Culture Shock D.C., also In Oct 2009 Gary spent 8 days touring Switzerland & Germany, teaching & performing with Culture Shock D.C., in Jan 2010 Gary returned from Barbados performing w/Capitol recording artist Jaicko for the BMA’s (Barbados Music Awards). In 2011, Gary had the opportunity to tour with the nationally known UniversSoul Circus. While touring with Universoul Circus he was dancing & hosting the nationally known tour choreographed by Nick Demoura.

Gary continues to teach & train dancers in his smooth style of choreography & also educates on how to work & get started in todays dance industry. You can find Gary living in Atlanta signed to BLOC South, training, dancing, teaching & choreographing with ATL’s hottest dancers, teachers, & Choreographers.

Benedicte Schoyen

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Benedicte Schoyen

Born and raised in Norway, Benedicte Schoyen was educated at the Norwegian Opera Ballet School. Upon completion of her studies there, she left Oslo to study at The Royal Academy of Dance in London, and later to study at the Studio Paris Centre in Paris. Before opening her own studio, she danced professionally for 10 years while teaching at Morolandis Studio, Debbie Reynolds Studio, and Third Street Dance Academy as well as at USC. As an assistant professor she regularly teaches jazz ballet to students in the musical theater program. Recently she choreographed and staged four major television shows for Norwegian Broadcasting, she have also choreographed 12 television shows for NRK, Melodi Grand Prix Junior. At her studio she teaches both classical and jazz ballet to children, as well as ballet on all levels to adults of all ages.

Stephan Isijia Reynolds

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Stephan Isijia Reynolds

A graduate of Perpich Center for Arts Education, he received his Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Dance Performance from Marymount Manhattan College. Since his relocation to New York, he has trained at Alvin Ailey American Dance Center, Dance Theater of Harlem, Paul Taylor and the Martha Graham School. In 1998, he was selected to perform the lead solo in Paul Taylor’s Company. In 1999, he performed the leading role in Penumbra’s Black Nativity and toured with the show for three consecutive years. He has had the most distinct privilege of working with Christina Aguilera, Deborah Cox, Debbie Allen, Deborah Gibson, Whitney Houston, Michael Jackson (30th Anniversary Celebration on NBC), Al Jarreau, Monica, May, Usher, Jill Scott, Martha Wash, Crystal Waters, RuPaul, and most recently Céline Dion in A New Day…

He has choreographed for Knick City Dancers, New York Liberty, Memphis State University, SUNY at Purchase College, University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Las Vegas Gladiators, Southern Methodist University, to name a few and has danced in 30 major cities including Minneapolis and all throughout Europe. He now performs in Cirque du Soleil’s production of “O” at the Bellagio Hotel and Casino.

Edwin Mota

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Edwin Mota

Edvin Mota was born in Mexico and began his studies at the National School of Dance of Mexico. He was awarded a scholarship from the School of American Ballet in New York to finish his studies in the special men class of Stanley Williams.

In 1985 he won the professional prize at the Prix de Lausanne.

He became a member of the Royal Ballet of Flanders where he was promoted to first soloist. He was invited to join London City Ballet and after one season was offered a contract with the Birmingham Royal Ballet former Sadler’s Wells Royal Ballet as first soloist.

He then move to Germany to work with the Staatsoper Hannover and later as guest soloist with the Komische Oper Berlin; He was guest on several occasions in the National Ballet of Mexico.

Edwin Mota’s repertoire included, the prince in The Nutcracker, Albrecht in Giselle, the prince and Bluebird in the Sleeping Beauty, Benno in Swanlake, Puck in The Dream, Romeo and Mercutio in Romeo & Juliet, James in La Sylphide, Basilio in Nureyev’s Don Quichote, the lead in Theme and Variations, Symphony in Three Movements, Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux and other Balanchine pieces, and lead roles in works from F. Ashton, A. Bournonville, J. Cranko, J. Kylian, A. Tudor, K. McMillian, P. Wright, D. Bintley amongst others.

In 1999 he worked as a Ballet master at the Ballet of Zaragoza in Spain.

He has taught for: National Ballet of Mexico, London City Ballet, Pretty ugly tanz Köln, Amanda Miller, Deborah Colker Company in Brazil, Ballet de Zaragoza, Staatstheater Nürnberg, FriedrichstadtPalast in Berlin, ARCHITANZ in Tokyo, Neuer Tanz Company Tanzprobebühne Marameo in Berlin, Tanzhaus nrw in Düsseldorf, Barbora Greiner project Ballettzentrum in Berlin and others…

Gallery

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Gallery

To students, teachers and to all who been involved with “DFTD″ thank you for a fantastic workshop. This gallery is dedicated to you. Hope to see you again for DFTD. And remember don´t forget to dance.